The End
by Hecate4
Summary: Harry finally comes to the battle of all battles, which leads to the end. But to the end of what?
1. Default Chapter

The beginning of the end  
  
"Harry you have to do it. You have to, it's too late to do something else." Hermione screamed across the pitch-black lake. Clumsy tears streamed down her cheeks, her voice was hoarse from relentless screaming, and her lips cracked and dry from the blazing flames surrounding her like a firestorm.  
  
Painful realisation coursed through Harry as he gripped his wand holding back his anguish and biting back the tears that threatened to violently fall. Now was not the time to crumble, he had to do what he was born to do. Fight.  
  
Hermione clambered to her feet gaining her balance while preparing for a duel, moving into a battle stance. Her legs shock as she readied her self for the nightmare that lay ahead. She had to pretend she didn't feel her heart breaking as she felt her world fall apart. The pain had to be forgotten, she had to feel no hesitation because she was sadly sure that he would show no pity or guilt. This was not the person she knew. She had to remember that. Her life may depend on that.  
  
"'Mione, you gotta get out of here, you're right, it is too late. Let Dumbledore know what's going on." Harry's voice was filled with strong emotion. He could barely contain it. Months of suppressed feelings, being void of emotion. It seemed to Harry that the end brought out the feelings he couldn't face to feel. The moment when he most needed to be unfeeling, robotic in a sense. He didn't even feel the bloody trickle down the side of his head, oozing from his temple. In the end it didn't really matter. He had to make sure the Hermione was safe and away from the danger, he couldn't lose her as well.  
  
Hermione ran through torrential rain, hammering down upon the Earth. Putting out the fire that burnt around them. Missing the fire that burnt within them. One thought ran through her mind, and that was to get to Harry. She had to stand by him, fight with him; it may be her last chance to. Once or twice she slipped and almost lost her footing but she regained her balance and kept running. Through the rain she could Harry assessing the situation, getting to know his battle ground, not that he didn't already know it by heart. He had spent the past 6 and half years hanging out by the lake on hot summers days, listening to the ranting of his bets friend Ron or to Hermione his other best friend lecture him and Ron bout house elves.  
  
Both teenagers could hear the sounds of Death Eaters communicating, trying to find where Harry and Hermione where. Harry thought of various scenarios of what could happen and how he should react. He knew he would have to play it by ear. Let his opponent make the first excruciating move. Harry heard hurried footsteps behind him, he silently cursed as he turned to meet his attacker. Wand poised, ready for use with a spell on the tip of his tongue, ready to neutralise his invader. Hermione stopped in front of Harry, short of breath holding her hand up to stop Harry from jinxing her. Relief and anger awoke in him as he saw that she had disobeyed his command.  
  
"You thought I would let you face him alone?" Hermione's panting voice came.  
  
"I told you to go back to the castle, to get Dumbledore, Hermione how could you stay?" Harry's voice was filled was anger and fear for his best friend.  
  
"How could I not? Don't you dare tell me to leave when this is my fight too? Don't try and protect me now Harry, I need to be here with you, you need me. You cannot do this on your own." Hermione's voice was full of passion and raw emotion, he couldn't speak, his words choked in his throat. Hermione understood this, he was thankful that he had her help. He truly loved her for that. They embraced each other as they prepared for the end.  
  
"How touching, it's nice to know that you'll be together when this ends. That'll you'll die knowing you failed" A cold and detached voice echoed through the night.  
  
Harry shivered as he heard the voice the conceited Death Eater. He thought of the many times he had heard that voice. When he was running through the forbidden forest away from the murderer whom killed his parents to his best friends, Ron and Hermione, when he was running away from the many Death eaters at the Quidditch world cup in his 4th year with his best friends, Ron and Hermione. When he was battling with the Death Eaters in the Ministry of Magic in his 5th year with his best friends, Ron and Hermione.  
  
And now he heard it again when he and Hermione faced their opponent.  
  
Ron. 


	2. Beloved, sweetheart, bastard

Beloved, sweetheart, bastard  
  
Harry and Hermione slowly rose to their feet. Harry bit his tongue to stop a harsh reply from leaving his mouth. Hermione turned to face Ron.  
  
"Beloved... sweetheart... bastard. It's been awhile. You sure as hell took your time coming here, are we not that high on your agenda?" Her voice echoed through the eerie night, Harry had to admire her, that she could confront him with out a trace of sorrow.  
  
"He's too busy running around as Voldemorts' lackey, trying to please his," Harry paused for affect. "Master" Harry spat the word out as thought it were poison. But then again any thing to do with Voldemort was poison. He got the reaction he wanted, Ron's eyes flashed with anger, satisfaction consumed Harry for a moment but he soon returned to normal when he remembered whom he was taunting.  
  
"Words Harry, that's all they are. Meaningless. Nothing. You think your words mean something to me?" Ron replied in a bitter tone. He faced his fellow Death Eaters. "Leave me with them, don't go too far, they are smart, they will try and get away, so be alert." Grudgingly the Death Eaters left, muttering absurdities.  
  
Once they had gone it was just Ron, Harry and Hermione standing on the edge of the river, thick smoke drifting through the air, choking them as they breathed. Ron faced his victims. For a while Ron just stood there, observing his former best friends.  
  
"I tried to save them Ron, I need you to know that." Harry's voice was said was with caution, he wasn't sure if bringing up this subject was a good idea but he had to let him know. These words had been pulling at his heart, weighing it down. Once again tears threatened to spill but Harry couldn't allow that to happen, not now, it wasn't the right time.  
  
Ron drew his wand and pointed at Harry's heart, his hand shaking with rage.  
  
"Kill me. Right here, right now. Do what you have dreamt about for the past 3 months. Do it. Just leave it at my death. Don't be so dam stupid and stay with a cruel murderer whom will dispose of you once he has finished with you. Believe it or not I care about you and the last dam thing I want is you dead." Harry stood tall and waited for the reaction. "Voldemort once told me to bow to death, instead I'm going to acknowledge it and give no such curtsey. To bow is to accept."  
  
"You acknowledge you death? The famous Harry Potter, always escaping death, never having to meet it. Well guess what Harry, you will be scared, and you will beg for mercy, you will think you're safe but you wont be. I'm not going to kill you, that is Voldemort's job."  
  
"Not afraid to say his name now? That's a new step."  
  
"Afraid? What's to be afraid of? I lost practically everything I could lose and that's your fault." Ron's voice cracked allowing a whole world of emotions into his words; Sorrow, anger, pain, confusion. " You said you would save them Harry, but you didn't."  
  
"I tried Ron, don't you dare assume I didn't, they meant a lot to me too." Harry shouted, rage consuming him. Months of anger hurt and pain leaking out. "It wasn't that easy. Voldemort had hundreds of dementors there, plus Death Eaters. I couldn't get to them. I tried, I would have died to save them but that wasn't enough."  
  
"Harry, they were my family. My parents, my sister. How can I ever forgive you?" His voice shook slightly and it seemed as though he was going to cry. When Harry asked him something.  
  
"Then why join the murderer of your family? Why? When he did this, he killed them." Desperate for answers he stepped forwards, Ron's wand digging into his chest.  
  
"He promised to bring them back if I helped him." Ron turned his back on Harry and Hermione and tried to regain his composure. He had a duty to for fill. 


End file.
